Spectroscopic measurements with a silicon drift detector having a continuous implanted drift cathode-voltage divider

A silicon drift detector (SDD) prototype where the drift electrode also plays the role of a high-voltage divider has been realised and characterised for spectroscopic applications at near-room temperatures. Among the advantages of this design, is the absence of metal on the sensitive surface which makes this detector interesting for soft X-rays. The detector prototype has a large sensitive area (2 x 130 mm(2)) and the charge is collected by two anodes (butterfly-like detector), The energy resolution of a such a detector has been investigated at near-room temperatures using a commercial, hybrid, low-noise charge-sensitive preamplifier. The results obtained for the X-ray lines from Fe-55 and Am-241 are presented. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.